ABFT Level III: Consultation Leading to Certification
After attending the Advanced Workshop and participating in Supervision (supervision does not need to be finished), trainees begin submitting video recordings of complete (i.e., 1 hour) ABFT sessions for review by certified supervisors. Trainees submit a minimum of 10 tapes at a rate of one to two videotapes a month. Tapes should be of recent sessions so that therapists can demonstrate their use of feedback from the group supervision sessions and recordings submitted for review. The ABFT supervisor informs the therapist which tasks or portions of a task to submit. When submitting tapes, therapists must provide a case write-up (template provided) and self-feedback on their tapes with suggestions for how to improve portions of their sessions that are not consistent with ABFT or could be improved in general. Therapists also rate their own tapes with the ABFT adherence measure. ABFT Certified Supervisors review the tapes and provide in-depth written feedback, adherence ratings and offer a 20-minute phone consultation (as needed) regarding the tape.
Completing all 10 tapes does not guarantee that someone is certified. A therapist may need to submit additional tapes (at additional cost) if they have yet to sufficiently develop certain skills. However, we have found that with the level of feedback we provide, most therapists are ready for certification review after 10 tapes.
Certification in ABFT does not expire.
Benefits of Therapy Tape Review
Participating in video review assures that therapists are using ABFT with fidelity. Therapists can feel confident that they are implementing the model the way it is intended. We are confident that certified ABFT therapists can represent the work as it is intended. Certification has become a standard clinical training procedure throughout the world of dissemination of empirically supported treatments.
Target Audience
Therapists in the U.S. need to have at least a master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling, clinical or counseling psychology, or couple’s and family therapy. If therapists are not licensed and/or are graduate students, they need to be employed somewhere where they are receiving supervision. Internationally, therapists need to have local certification or licensure allowing them to practice therapy. ABFT Supervisors do not take on legal responsibility for cases. In addition, therapists must ensure they have sufficient clinical time to treat ABFT clients (at least 2-3 clients at a time).
Training Format for Therapy Tape Review
Therapists send all materials including therapy recordings to ABFT supervisors via LiquidFiles (http://www.liquidfiles.net/tour/compliance.html), which is a secure FTP site. Supervisors store therapy sessions on encrypted hard drives until they are reviewed. Once reviewed, therapy sessions are deleted. Supervisors send feedback (not containing PHI) via email. If consultation calls are requested, they are conducted over Zoom, a HIPPAA secure web-conferencing system (zoom.us).
Continuing Consultation
If therapists desire supervision beyond the 22 supervision sessions or becoming certified, they may arrange for ongoing supervision.